Scotland insists ‘no cat ban’ as report sparks ‘panic’ among pet owners

Reaction to a report into the impact of cats in Scotland on the country's wildlife has caused anger among charities.

Dundee, Tayside, Scotland, UK. 9th Apr, 2023. UK Weather: Tayside weather Scotland is hovering around 10°C. Dundee is experiencing cool cloudy Spring weather with occasional sunshine. Two domestic cats gathered at Dundee's Ardler Village park on Easter Sunday for a leisurely feline adventure. Credit: Dundee Photographics/Alamy Live News
The Scottish government has refuted reports it could ban cats. (Alamy)

The government in Scotland has denied it plans to ban cats after an independent report caused uproar among animal charities.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) has issued a series of recommendations to the government after warning that pet cats are threatening birds and mammals.

It advised ministers to consider the pros and cons of proposals to restrict and contain cats in an effort to preserve wildlife.

But the response to the SAWC report angered cat charities in Scotland and caused confusion among pet owners, with some news outlets reporting that one possible recommendation was the banning of cats in specific areas to protect wildlife. The SAWC has refuted any suggestion it had proposed a ban.

The SAWC wants Scottish ministers to bring in legislation that requires the compulsory microchipping and registration of cats.

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It also asks the government to create a campaign that promotes responsible cat ownership and care. It stopped short of recommending to make it compulsory that all owned cats are neutered.

The SAWC report also cites policies in place in Australia where, in some areas, cats are only allowed on to council land if they are on a leash.

The report states: "It is notable that a number of administrations mandate or recommend different degrees of containment – from keeping cats indoors at all times, to allowing them outside only during the day, or only on a leash, or in a secure outdoor run."

It said that while such measures could reduce the harmful impact on wildlife, they have "obvious implications for cat welfare" which would need to be evaluated.

The SAWC doesn't mention the word "ban" in its 56-page report, although it does outline some options that include the containing of cats to prevent them disrupting wildlife populations.

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The report says some nations require cats to be "contained all the time or seasonally" to protect wildlife.

It states that "this may be an option to reduce the welfare impacts of domestic cats on wildlife," but then points out there would also be "welfare impacts for the cat of preventing access to outdoor environments".

Ginger cat hunting in grass in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
There is no mention of a ban in the report. (PA)

The report adds: "New housing developments in rural areas could have a stipulation that cats may not be kept in conservation-sensitive areas."

It concludes by recommending that Scottish ministers ask NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage) to commission a report into the advantages and disadvantages for wildlife of "cat containment areas", including "restrictions on introducing cats to households in vulnerable areas and specific containment measures to be considered".

In the wake of the SAWC report, the government in Scotland intially said it would "fully consider the recommendations of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission".

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However, it has subsequently been forced to dismiss any suggestion it is considering a ban on cats.

A Scottish government spokesperson told Yahoo News: “Banning cats is not a recommendation of the report and we will, under no circumstances, be banning cats.”

Scotland's first minister, John Swinney, said on Monday: “There’s a report being produced by an external organisation which has come in to the government for consideration.

“Let me just clear this up today – the government’s not going to be banning cats or restricting cats.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 27: First Minister John Swinney delivers a speech at the National Robotarium on January 27, 2025 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He focussed on NHS renewal, set out plans to address immediate pressures and longer-term reform as he addressed representatives from across Scotland's health and social care sector. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)
First minister John Swinney said cats will not be banned in Scotland. (Getty Images)

“We’ve no intention of doing so and we will not be doing it.”

The SAWC told Yahoo News UK its report did not propose a ban on cats.

Its secretariat said: “SAWC did not propose a ban on keeping cats.

"The SAWC report on responsible cat ownership simply asks ministers to consider commissioning further work on the impact of cats on wildlife in specific, vulnerable areas and whether there is evidence for containment measures, among other issues such as microchipping."

Nicola Zelent, warden at Lothian Cat Rescue in Bonnyrigg, Scotland, said the charity had dozens of calls on Monday from cat owners worried they would have to give up their pets or even put them down.

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"We're trying to reassure them," she told Yahoo News. "It's a shame but people are panicking."

She said the SAWC report was "not clear" with its recommendations, but said a ban on cats was "never going to happen".

And Zelent said keeping cats in so-called containment areas, even if outdoors, was "cruel" and "not feasible".

She said humans are more to blame for the impact on wildlife than cats are, saying they are plenty of species of birds at her cat rescue centre but the cats "don't want to hunt" because they are already fed.

Alice Palombo, advocacy and government relations officer for Scotland at Cats Protection, told Yahoo News that all cats should have the choice to go outdoors, and that her charity is already working with groups such as Saving Wildcats to reduce the impact of domestic and feral cats on wildlife.

“Scotland is a nation of cat lovers, with around 840,000 pet cats in 2024, and nearly a quarter of all households owning one," she said.

Palombo dismissed the idea of taking cats out on a lead, as is the case in some parts of Australia.

"As highly independent animals, cat do not like being restrained, especially for long periods of time, so wearing a harness will likely be stressful for them," she said.

She said Cats Protection supports the call for compulsory microchipping of pet cats in Scotland.

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